Xbox gamers just got five new titles to enjoy on Christmas Day. Many people are on a holiday break and have some extra time to dive into games they’ve been meaning to play all year. There are some incredibly popular titles that have been sitting on people’s to-do lists for much longer than intended, but there are also a few new Xbox releases that might be worth loading up while lounging around for the festive season.
There are of course a number of games that people tend to pull out at this time of year because, even if they’re not strictly Christmas themed, they do take place during the holiday season. Tom Clancy’s The Division is a classic, taking place in a snow-covered New York City decorated with Christmas lights and trees. Spider-Man: Miles Morales offers a snowy Manhattan that feels particularly suitable for the season, as does another favorite superhero, Batman, in Arkham Origins. And many people might not remember, but the original Max Payne also takes place in a Christmas-decorated New York, and it’s relatively short for good measure.
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5 Xbox Games Released on Christmas Day
- 4 in 1 Sports Bundle Vol 2
- Abyss DX
- Arcade Archives: Space Invaders
- Hypercar Racing
- Pinball Jam
Gamers who are looking to jump into something a little new and different also just got five more titles to play on Xbox: 4 in 1 Sports Bundle Vol 2, Abyss DX, Hypercar Racing, Pinball Jam, and Arcade Archives: Space Invaders. Four of these are published by Super PowerUp Games, whose goal is to offer experiences “like the ones you could find in the arcades back in the nineties.” Pinball Jam, originally released in April on PC, just had its Xbox console debut on December 25. It focuses on recreating the feel of playing arcade pinball and delivers a dozen tables with realistic graphics and sounds. There are multiple camera options, missions to complete, and online leaderboards for chasing high scores.
4 in 1 Sports Bundle Vol 2 offers exactly what its title implies: four lightweight games in one package that are each also available separately. With 9Ball Pocket, Ping Pong Up, Rock ‘n Racing Off Road, and World Soccer Pinball, gamers will have a choice of casual gaming experiences for passing the time. And three of the titles feature local multiplayer for 2 to 4 people, making it potentially an ideal choice for when friends and family are visiting. Those who enjoy the selection of games available in Vol 2 can also grab the first volume that was released in August.
Hypercar Racing, also published by Super PowerUp Games, offers local multiplayer for 2 to 4 people as well. It delivers fast-paced races across multiple game modes, including Championship and Arcade. The game will get players racing at 200 miles per hour with up to 20 opponents and, in addition to enjoying multiplayer locally, there are online leaderboards to track top times.
Abyss DX is one of the only new Super PowerUp Games releases to also currently be on sale, and at $3.99 USD, it’s the cheapest of the lot. The action-adventure platformer moves away from the bite-sized arcade experiences offered by the other titles and instead takes players to the perilous depths of the eponymous abyss. Set on a resource-depleted Earth in the year 3024, gamers take on the role of a biomechanical robot named Nep2no who is searching for a mysterious energy source called Gaia.
The fifth title waiting for gamers on Christmas Day, Arcade Archives: Space Invaders, was developed and published by HAMSTER Corporation. Released on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 and 5, and both Nintendo Switch consoles, Space Invaders has the distinction of being the 500th release of the long-lived game company. This title includes both the original black-and-white and color versions, as well as authentic sound reproductions, of TAITO’s classic shooter about invading aliens that was originally released in 1978.
